Various dispensing systems are known for measuring out fluids and filling containers with them. The measurement of the particular quantity of fluid to be filled at one time is effected, for instance, by a piston which can reciprocate within a dispensing chamber. Either automatically functioning ball or cone valves or automatically controlled valves, for instance in the form of a slide which is rotatable or movable up and down, are then associated with this piston. While ball or cone valves which function automatically are preferably used to fill containers with homogeneous fluids, it is necessary to use automatically moved control valves for filling containers with fluids which include solid or semisolid components; an example of such a fluid would be yogurt with strawberries, cherries, pieces of pineapple or the like. If a multiplicity of containers disposed relatively closely adjacent to and in sequence with one another is to be filled simultaneously, as is the case, for instance, with containers created by deep-drawing or the like from one strip and still connected to one another, then the filling devices must likewise be disposed very closely adjacent to and in sequence with one another. In these cases, it has proved to be efficient to use a dispensing apparatus in which the axes of the dispensing piston and of the control slide extend parallel and vertically relative to one another.
An apparatus of this kind, in which the axes of the dispensing piston and of the control slide extend vertically and parallel to one another, has become known from German Auslegeschrift No. 23 21 205. However, because of the particular form of the control slide of this known apparatus, the structure is of relatively large volume, so that this apparatus does not permit the close disposition adjacent to and in sequence with one another of a plurality of units comprising dispensing pistons and control slides. Furthermore, because of the complex embodiment of the control slide, there is an equally complex control chamber. The expense of manufacturing both elements is accordingly relatively high.
From U.S. Pat. No. 1,946,025, a further dispensing apparatus has become known, which has a control slide of simple structure. However, a relatively large recess is provided in this control slide for the purpose of connecting the fluid reservoir chamber to the dispensing chamber. Because of the very large recess, the control slide is severely weakened. A further disadvantage is that for filling the dispensed fluid into the particular container the control slide must be moved all the way to the top, which firstly requires very large control movements and secondly enables merely the simple outflow of the fluid into the container to be filled at that time.
A dispensing apparatus is sought which is distinguished by a very simple structure and in which, furthermore, very close disposition of a multiplicity of filling stations adjacent to and in sequence with one another is possible.